Jimmy Tingle dreams of an American discussion

Thursday

Mar 20, 2014 at 10:51 AMMar 20, 2014 at 11:00 AM

“There is so much we agree upon. I guess it's just the interpretation of them that we disagree on,” said Tingle. He performs “Jimmy Tingle's American Dream” at 8 p.m. Friday at The Company Theatre in Norwell.

By Jim DormanFor The Patriot Ledger

While comedian/ writer/political activist/entrepreneur Jimmy Tingle was interviewing people for his 2011 documentary “Jimmy Tingle’s American Dream,” one thing surprised him.

“There is so much we agree upon. Even though we are polarized technically. There are certain things we believe in. I don’t think even the most conservative or most liberal person would say we shouldn’t vote, be educated, be safe or have the opportunity to fulfill our potential. We are instilled with certain values that really don’t change. I guess it’s just the interpretation of them that we disagree on,” said Tingle.

Tingle is performing “Jimmy Tingle’s American Dream” at 8 p.m. Friday at The Company Theatre in Norwell.

“I call it ‘comedy, commentary and conversation.’ I show the film, do a little question-and-answer with the audience, and then I go into full stand-up. I try to keep it topical. The whole thing runs about two hours. It’s pretty down to earth, but funny as well.”

With the help and inspiration of filmmaker Vincent Straggas, who initially just wanted to follow Tingle around and film the Cambridge native while he produced and performed at his former theater “Jimmy Tingle’s Off Broadway” in Somerville, Tingle began to interview people – some famous, some not. He came in contact with the people through his theater and various pursuits in and around Boston in the 2000s, including the Democratic National Convention held in Boston in 2004. Interviewees included Lewis Black, Howard Zinn, Robert Altman, Al Franken, Janeane Garafalo, Mort Sahl, Tingle’s mother and even a homeless Vietnam veteran whom Tingle knew growing up.

“I wasn’t confrontational. I just asked for their opinions of the American Dream. I let them say their peace. Some people said it meant that you can’t fail in America if you put your mind to it, and others said it meant that people’s needs should be fulfilled, or that we should be free to do what it is we want to pursue. That was the common theme in it,” said Tingle.

As he kept talking to people he found that the American Dream meant different things to different groups of people. “For immigrants it’s about them being responsible citizens. For the gay community, it’s about their ability to be free to be who they are,” said Tingle.

But as you might guess, the film is not all question and answer. It has plenty of Tingle’s trademark humor.

“We used my stage show as the backbone of the film. We needed a through line in terms of some of the themes like religion, immigration, family or business,” said Tingle.

As a comedian who started out in the clubs of Boston and has seen the national stage as a commentator on “60 Minutes II” and as a comic on late-night talk shows, Tingle knows that comedy can be used for good.

“I’m trying to get to the truth of things. I try to make a point and be funny, and then make another point. My point of view is sometimes really evident, but I just try to take a conventional wisdom and turn it around. You see the success of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. It’s unbelievable. I have people that come to my shows and say, ‘We don’t agree with your politics, but we love your show so much.’ In terms of values, I think we are all pretty universal,” said Tingle.

In one funny bit, Tingle takes up the plight of the illegal immigrant.

“Sneaking into a country for work? That’s incredible. That’s like somebody breaking into your house to clean it,” Tingle joked.

Tingle earned a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University and was the commencement speaker in 2010.

“I went back to school to see if I could find a way to do more. (Entertainment) doesn’t necessarily change people. But, I think there is a way to use it to participate in a national cultural conversation. That’s what I am working on now, and that’s why I went back to school, to see if I could use comedy for purposes beyond entertainment.”

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